Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to reduce the number of elderly people involved in domestic fires.

The Department’s Fire Kills campaign, run in close partnership with fire and rescue authorities, promotes a range of fire safety messages to the public and especially to those most vulnerable to fire, including older people. Although accidental fire deaths in the home in 2013/14 were at an historic low level, over half of fatalities were aged 65 or over.

Recent campaigns have targeted older people, as well as encouraged others to look out for the safety of older neighbours, friends and family. The Department continues to explore with relevant agencies how to expand this element of the Fire Kills programme.


We very much welcome the Chief Fire Officers’ Association current work with NHS England and on behalf of fire and rescue authorities in England which is designed to improve the availability of data about those aged 65 and over and support a more targeted local approach.